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Scientists have trailled the new drug to prevent paedophiles from acting upon their urges (Picture: Firmagon)

Scientists in Sweden have begun trialling a new drug that could potentially prevent paedophiles from acting on their sexual urges.

The new study involves providing self-confessed paedophiles with Degarelix, a drug that is usually used to treat advanced prostate cancer – to see if it can reduce the risk of them sexually abusing a child.

The £1,000 a year drug is able to stop testosterone from being produced, and it’s hoped that this will reduce the sex drive of paedophiles – and prevent attacks on young children.

The drug trial in Stockholm involves trialling the drug on 60 patients who have previously sought help for paedophilic fantasies – but have not acted on them.

Lead researcher Christoffer Rahm said: ‘The goal is to establish a preventive treatment programme for men with paedophiliac disorder that is both effective and tolerable so that we can prevent child sexual abuse from happening in the first place.’

The trial is being carried out at the Karolinska institute in Sweden

The trial sees half of the 60 participants receiving an injection of the drug, while the other half receive a ‘dummy’ placebo.

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Those who received the drug will have non-detectable levels of testosterone after three days – an effect that is thought to last for roughly three months.